A New Foundation for Parent Involvement

By Kevin Walker, Project Appleseed President & National Director

We need a new foundation for parental involvement in public schools.  Nearly everything in public education is measured except the level of parent and family involvement.  What are the metrics?  How many schools can report the number of volunteers or volunteer hours in a year?  How much does volunteerism affect the school budget?  Do you know how much social capital your schools raise and leverage?   President Obama and Congress have included $100 million in funds dedicated to parental involvement under Title I of the ARRA - the  American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  America needs effective and quantifiable parent involvement.

"As I travel the country and visit schools, I have been struck by how almost everyone pays lip service to parent and family involvement, but few seriously apply themselves to making it happen. Why is this?  So much progress has been made in recent years in other areas of school reform - reductions in class size, establishment of challenging academic standards, increase in after-school reading and math programs - why not in parent and family involvement?", wrote Bob Chase, past president of the National Education Association (NEA), in his book the New Public School Parent.  " The research evidence is beyond dispute. When schools work together with families to support learning, very good things happen: student attitudes, attendance, homework, and report cards improve."  More....

Melissa P. Earls joins Project Appleseed as Executive Assistant to President & National Director Kevin Walker.  Ms. Earls gives her extensive educational experience to Project Appleseed in Pre K-12 educational administration, curriculum and assessment and school reform.  She is certified as a superintendent, assistant superintendent, principal, and assistant principal at all PreK-12 schools in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Ms. Earls is the former Assistant Superintendent of the Mendon–Upton Regional School District in Mendon, MA. She has served as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment and was an assistant high school principal in North Brookfield Public Schools in North Brookfield, MA.  Ms. Earls develops, implements and manages special projects, initiatives and assignments for Project Appleseed.  She acts on behalf of Mr. Walker and serves as a liaison to the White House, Office of the Secretary of the United States Department of Education, members of the U.S. Congress and Senate and state and local government.  Ms. Earls is Project Appleseed’s liaison to higher education, nonprofit groups, and corporations.  Ms. Earls is a native of Boston, MA.   For Bio's of Project Appleseed Directors and Project advisor's click here.


technology & broadband

Innovative Technology Education Fund provides grants to public and private schools that enhance learning and improve student achievement by integrating technology into the classroom. Special consideration is given to wireless technology applications and/or projects benefiting students in economically disadvantaged areas, or from schools which currently perform at below-average levels in academic achievement.   In 2001 Missouri Governor Jay Nixon - then Attorney General - appointed Project Appleseed President Kevin Walker to the Board of Directors of ITEF.  In April, Mr. Walker, a parent of four University City High School graduates, was elected to a third three year term to the foundation's board after a year long hiatus.  "I've enjoyed developing grants with KDHX, St. Roch's and other fine schools and nonprofits in the St. Louis region and I look forward to many more years on the board," said Mr. Walker.

A sampling of projects ITEF funds include computer and telecommunications equipment (computers, Smart Boards, Wireless devices, etc.) Infrastructure to build networks, wireless access, and/or training for educators to enhance learning through the implementation and integration of technology in classroom instruction. The Fall Grant Cycle will open soon - Click here to see if your school is eligible for 2009 - Grant deadline September 11, 2009.  View our Spring grants below with full details here.  Please note:  The grants to the St. Louis Public Schools have been approved by ITEF, but are considered "tentative" until officially accepted by the St. Louis Public School Board.

ITEF Spring Grant Awards Brittany Woods Middle School    $8,974.00 Earl Nance Sr. Elementary    $5051.00 Fanning Middle School    $13,371.99 Gateway High School IT    $12,343.00 Griscom School    $10,776.59 Kennard Elementary    $14,467.03 Lutheran Assoc. of Special Ed.    $17,000.00 Messiah Lutheran School    $3,000.00

St. Charles Borromeo School    $847.00 St. Gerard Majella Parish    $5,997.00 St. Katharine Drexel School    $3,000.00 St. Mark’s Lutheran School    $10,300.00 Trinity Lutheran School    $2,000.00 Vashon High School    $12,811.24 Wedgwood Elementary    $14,480.00 Zion Lutheran School    $9,268.99

school contruction & capital campaigns
Taxpayer Relief: District Supplements Bond Issue With Alumni Fund Raising

Webster Groves School Board Thanks Walker & Committee As High School Capital Campaign Quickly Tops $250,000 Goal  

Parents deserve a school district that works for them and spends their money wisely.  Responsible stewardship of taxpayers dollars means maximizing the impact of those dollars by also raising significant funds from private sources.  In one year, "Investing in the Next 100 Years," a capital campaign conducted by a committee of Webster alumni, has raised $265,000 to complete and equip two spacious, gleaming rooms below Webster Groves High School's new gymnasium that can be used for fitness, dance, wrestling and other activities. The new spaces are used before, during and after school each day by students and staff.  The capital campaign follows a $40 million bond issue and is based in part on the alumni funding tactics Project Appleseed initially developed for University City High School.

Pat Voss, former WGHS principal and alumni coordinator, said that the building upgrades made possible by alumni touched every High School student. "When you give, you are opening doors for students," she said. "Our alumni understand that and we are very grateful for their interest and generosity throughout our campaign."

Kevin Walker was a member of the District's Capital Campaign Committee and he and committee members were thanked by the Board of Education for their work on behalf of WGHS.  "We also want to thank the Board, Superintendent Brent Underwood and Pat Voss for their trust and responsible stewardship of our tax dollars.  It is my hope that the alumni of Webster will fund a large portion of the $80 million needed to make this building green and last another 100 years, " said Mr. Walker, a member of the class of 1979. Mr. Walker was also asked to address the Board on the issue of what to name the new gymnasium at WGHS. More....

Webster Tapped Walker To Pitch District's $80 Million Green Stimulus

The Webster Groves School District asked Kevin Walker to help organize the District's push for $80 million in economic stimulus funds for Webster Groves High School.  This figure represents the total technology, plumbing and modernization costs for the green renovation of WGHS to a LEED Gold Certification and could create 600 construction jobs.  WGHS is 101 years old and this funding would make the high school a model green project for old public school buildings.  Mr. Walker introduced district leadership and the funding package to Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan (D 3rd) and Congressional District Director Jim McHugh along with state and local leaders such as St. Louis County Councilwoman Barbara Fraser. Mr. Walker is a Webster Groves High School alum, former student body president and a member of the WGHS Wall of Fame.

community
Appleseed Joins Carnahan In Social Justice

U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D 3rd) visited Avery Elementary in February, to celebrate Black History Month. Project Appleseed coordinated the visit to Avery at the request of Congressman Callahan's district office.  He met with district parents, Project Appleseed President Kevin Walker, Webster Groves Superintendent Brent Underwood, Asst. Superintendent, Chief Financial Officer, Diane Moore and Avery Principal  Don Furjes.  Carnahan came to discuss Avery's social justice activities and read a book about Jackie Robinson to students. In this photo, he answers questions from fifth graders. They wanted to know whether he'd met President Barack Obama, whether he worked in the Senate or the House of Representatives and whether it was hard to dress up every day.

no child left behind
Appleseed Asks White House to Invest $1.8 Billion More In Title I Parent Involvement
Recent education reform efforts have overwhelmingly focused on schools and educators, neglecting one of the most significant resources in the entire process: parents. Tragically, parent involvement is often an afterthought in the school reform debate in this nation, or worse. During the Bush administration, significant gains made in parental involvement have been eviscerated, as parents are now encouraged to make their primary “involvement” simply the rejection or abandonment of so-called failing schools. Meanwhile a fundamental truth is being neglected: Parents represent a key to making schools better in the first place.

Project Appleseed seeks to increase the nation’s family involvement capacity - a multi-billion dollar resource. If 100 million parents, grandparents, and caring adults volunteered 10 hours in America’s public schools each year, they would contribute one billion man hours - critical to increasing student achievement for the nation’s 50 million K-12 students. More....

fitness and nutrition
Students and Families Make 'Draft' Day Special

speakers bureau
Kevin Walker was the keynote speaker at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, April 7th.  Western Washington University has magnificent natural scenery, Mt. Baker skiing and snowboarding, hiking, arts and theater, charming villages and waterfront adventures like whale watching, the Bellingham Mt. Baker region is a unique area of Washington state.  Western Washington is located 30 miles from the Canadian border. Mr. Walker was the guest of Students for Educational Equality and the Associated Students of Washington. On April 15, Mr. Walker was the guest of St. Louis Public Schools and Gateway High School IT Principal Beth Bender.  He was the featured speaker for the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony.  Mr. Walker urged students to become community organizers and to give back to their communities.

about us
Project Appleseed is a major educational resource and advocate for parents and families engaged in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness in America’s public schools.  We are a catalyst in the implementation of effective, research based, model parent and community involvement programs that increase social capital, improves the lives of families and revitalizes schools and communities across the United States.   In 1994 our leadership advised the Clinton Administration, on the original parental involvement provisions of Section 1118 of the reauthorization of Title I.  Project Appleseed was named top 10 education and parent leader in the United States by the editors of both Teacher & Parenting magazines.  Our web site is the #1 ranked resource for 'parental involvement in public schools' in Google, & Yahoo!.  Please contact Project Appleseed should you have questions about organizing parental involvement in America’s public schools.  

Latest education news from Appleseed Today on school reform, parental involvement, fitness and nutrition, green schools, capital campaigns, school construction and broadband. New blog entries are at the bottom of the page.